Delving Into the Humanities
Social science degrees can be earned in numerous exciting, interesting and culturally relevant fields. The blanket term "social science" traditionally includes such academic disciplines as sociology, social work, economics, human geography, communications, cultural studies, anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, political science and media studies. History is also considered one of the social sciences, and if you get a Bachelor of Arts in psychology (as opposed to a Bachelor of Science), you will have earned a social science degree.
Attend a School of Social Science
Virtually every college that offers degree programs in the arts and humanities has a school of social science. While pedagogical approaches differ from school to school, it is common for social science degrees to be structured so that students are exposed to numerous subjects outside their declared major or area of concentration. For example, students pursuing sociology degrees often have elective requirements that include courses in other humanities disciplines, such as English literature, history, philosophy or anthropology.
This structure often carries over into the upper years of a social science course, though you can expect your elective requirements to whittle down to about one class per semester by the time you're a junior or senior. This approach to social science education ensures that graduates are well-rounded when they emerge from their studies, and can be a boon to students building towards graduate school admissions.
Skills You'll Learn from a Social Science Degree
Social science degrees impart a wide range of useful career and life skills. You'll learn how to think critically and assess arguments, how to communicate at a high level and how to synthesize disparate information into a unified whole. Your organization and communication skills will also improve dramatically.
These skills will serve you well if you want to pursue a master's degree in another discipline, be it sociology graduate degrees online or in class, or a continuation of the undergraduate program you just completed. Online universities with social science degrees also give you the flexibility to pursue further studies while you work a day job if you want to join the workforce right out of college.
The true value of social science degrees is in an enhanced understanding and appreciation of the world around you. They lead graduates down exciting, rewarding and relevant career paths while providing excellent flexibility to those wishing to pursue further studies at the graduate level.
